New Sounds Archive
August 2007
New Releases August 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
It's that time of the month again for the new releases show on New Sounds. John Schaefer carefully sorts through the stacks, and boatloads of new CDs which have come across his desk over the past month to present some of the finest new releases.
New Music for Strings
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Hear new music drawing on rock, world, and improvised musics on this edition of New Sounds. There are works by John Zorn, Kronos Quartet and the Gogmagogs. Plus, arrangements of music by the Section Quartet from their latest, along with music by Invert. And more.
Odd Ambient Post-Rock
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
“Post-Rock” is a catch-all term used to describe music that subverts many elements associated with indie rock, yet works in elements of jazz, minimalist chamber music, experimental and ambient music. For this New Sounds, we’ll sample some ambient post-rock from seminal orchestral rock subversives Rachel’s, along with music from the instrumental multimedia Montreal group Godspeed You! Black Emperor. We’ll also hear from Clogs, the bassoon-driven, viola-employing quartet, and the Icelandic band Sigur Ros. With any luck, there’ll be some gorgeous wordless music from Bell Orchestre, Amina, Tortoise, and Explosions in the Sky as well.
Bang On A Can Marathon 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
From this year's marathon recorded live at the World Financial Center in June, hear David M Gordon's "Friction Systems," along with Marcello Zarvos' work "Arrival and Memory" on this edition of New Sounds. There's also instrumental music by indie-rockers Yo La Tengo and underground rapper/DJs Dalek. Plus, the Bang On A Can All-Stars play Brian Eno.
European Minimalism
Monday, August 27, 2007
Listen to “zen-funk” a sort of “ritual groove” from Nik Bartsch’s Ronin, insistent with its propulsive interlocking rhythms and demanding constant attention, rather than mind-wandering meditation. The gradual evolving sound of Ronin makes one jump to use the “m” word, but there’s melody and improvisation here in addition to the repetitive motifs. Also on the show, Dutch minimalism from Louis Andriessen. Hear excerpts from the opera "Writing to Vermeer," which is centered around letters from three women in Vermeer’s life. The collaborative project includes bursts of electronic music contributed by Michel van der Aa, with the libretto (and as those who might have seen the production recall) and a gigantic film component by Peter Greenaway. Plus, work by Piero Milesi for the cinema and the theater from "The Nuclear Observatory Of Mr. Nanof" release. If we’re lucky, we’ll hear the frantic gamelan piece, Three Figurations. And, as always, much more.
Technical Arrangements
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Up on this New Sounds program, dig into the latest from the new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound. Listen to some all-acoustic interpretations of pieces by Aphex Twin (Richard D. James), featuring such creative instrumentation as hoses, whistles, shop hardware, and piano treatments. There’s also the keyboard and stasis sounds of Ryuichi Sakamoto & Alva Noto, from the release “insen.” Plus, sample more of Zappa's "last band," the Ensemble Modern, from their recent CD of Frank Zappa’s works, “Greggery Peccary & Other Persuasions.”
In the Moment
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Cécile Schott, working under the moniker "Colleen," has crafted elegant, barely-there compositions on her latest release, “The Golden Morning Breaks.” On this edition of New Sounds, sample from some of these textured soundscapes of muted moods and ethereal melodies. Also, listen to free-flowing music from Keith Jarrett’s recording, “Spirits,” on which he overdubbed himself playing tabla, shakers, recorders, flutes, and piano. Plus, hear improvised duo music by jazz-rock musician Keith Tippett, together with his vocalist wife Julie Tippett who is likely to play thumb piano, wind chimes, recorder and everything else. And, of course, much more.
From the Vaults: Huun-Huur-Tu
Friday, August 24, 2007
In this 1995 New Sounds From the Vaults, the Tuvan throat singers known as Huun-Huur-Tu, perform live in the WNYC studio. Plus, music by Sainko, from Tuva, and the incredibly deep and slightly menacing sounds of Yat-Kha.
From the Vaults: Carl Stone
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Carl Stone, the pioneering composer in the fields of electroacoustic and computer music, visits the studio for this New Sounds From the Vaults. Stone presents selection from the CD called "Mom's," named after a local restaurant, and more.
From the Vaults: Francis Bebey
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Camerounian guitarist, novelist, singer, flutist, percussionist, and musicologist Francis Bebey performs in the WNYC studio. Although he disputes the musicologist title, the multi-talented artist talks us through the creation myth, plays The Magic Box and music inspired by gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.
From the Vaults: Yuri Yunakov
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Hear live music in the studio by Bulgarian sax player, composer and band leader Yuri Yunakov on this 1999 From the Vaults program. Also, music from Macedonia's Kocani Orkestar and Azeri Jewish singer Teresa, and more.
From the Vaults: Paolo Braganca
Monday, August 20, 2007
For this 1997 From the Vaults edition of New Sounds, Paolo Braganca, the Portuguese fado singer and composer visits the studio. Branganca has turned fado on its musical ear and blended it with chamber, rock and jazz elements.
Global Pop
Sunday, August 19, 2007
For this edition of New Sounds, listen to the strains of global pop, including music by Holger Czukay, founding member and bass player of the influential Krautrock group Can. From a CD called "Persian Love," Czukay backs up clips of an Iranian singer recorded off the short-wave, and arranges them with sparkling guitar and keyboard riffs. Also, sample Taarab music from the Indian Ocean island of Zanzibar, where violin, zither, oud and drums, together with vocals and wheezing accordions all conspire to make breezy big band dance music with historical roots in Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula. While we’re on breezy, Brazilian singer/guitarist/songwriter Seu Jorge is as breezy and intimate as bossa nova gets. Hear songs from his latest CD, along with songs from the Anglo-Asian singer Najma. Plus the Kronos Quartet transforms Mexican street pop into chamber party music and more.
Music by John Cage
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Composer John Cage, the inventor of the prepared piano and an avid collector of mushrooms, is arguably most famous (or infamous) for his silent work for piano, 4'33". On this New Sounds program, we’ll listen to some of his works written for choreography. There’s his Satie-esque piece “In a landscape,” for the choreographer Louise Lippold, from the days of his Black Mountain College residency in North Carolina in the early 1950's. We'll also hear the work “Dream” in versions for solo piano and viola ensemble for a dance piece choreographed by Cage’s longtime collaborator Merce Cunningham. Those and much more.
From the Vaults: World Mysticism
Friday, August 17, 2007
For this 1999 New Sounds from the Vaults, hear mystic fiddle music from Baluchistan along with Hassan Hakmoun, who plays Gnawa trance music from Morocco. Plus, hear Sufi music of the Galata Mevlevi Dervishes, the Monkey Chant of Bali, piano music of G.I. Gurdjieff/Thomas De Hartmann, and the ecstatic Qawwali singing of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Music by John Tavener rounds out the show.
From the Vaults: Black Umfolosi
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Black Umfolosi, the Zimbabwean vocal ensemble (and dance troupe), performs traditional and original works from Zimbabwe in the WNYC studio. Members of the internationally acclaimed harmonic acappella singing and traditional African dance group also present selections from their studio album, Festival - Umdlalo. This From the Vaults episode was first broadcast in 1996.
From the Vaults: La Monte Young
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
This is a 1990 show from the vaults with composer La Monte Young and visual artist Marian Zazeela that is sure to warp the space-time continuum. The "godfather of minimalism," Young, together with Zazeela, explain the year-long light and sound environment they had up and running back at the time. Plus, experience an excerpt from Young's work, "The Well-Tuned Piano," called the "Magic Harmonic Rainforest Chord."
From the Vaults: Dino Saluzzi
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
In another installment of our From the Vaults series, the gifted Argentine bandoneon player and composer Dino Saluzzi presents music from the release "Cite de la musique" and performs live with guitar accompaniment in the WNYC studio. This New Sounds show first aired in August of 1997.
From the Vaults: World of Strings
Monday, August 13, 2007
For this edition of New Sounds, we raid the vaults for some new music for kantele, tanbur, hardingfele, hackbrett, mandolin, and other exotic strings. Hear works by Martti Pokela, Annbjorg Lien, Die Knoedel, JPP, and others on this show from 1995.
Music for Sport
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Listen to the pairing of music with sports on this edition of New Sounds. There are soccer-inspired works from Brazil’s choro tradition, and music inspired by horse-racing, hockey, among others. Hear tunes from songwriter Seu Jorge, the guitar player who rendered the vintage Bowie songs in Portuguese from his crow’s nest perch in the Wes Anderson film, “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.” Jorge’s latest CD, “Cru,” which translates as “raw,” combines earthy samba-funk with scratchy emotion. Plus, Jocelyn Pook, in her work “Arsenal,” presents a quirky tribute to North Londoners soccer team, which combines religious song with boisterous football chants. There’s also music by Wynton Marsalis from the Ken Burns’documentary "Unforgivable Blackness," about heavyweight-boxing champion Jack Johnson. And much more.
Choral Music
Saturday, August 11, 2007
This New Sounds program samples a bit of choral music, with works that draw upon the Odyssey and the ancient folk songs of Estonia to a work based on a portion of the life of Mohandas K. Gandhi. Listen to David Bedford’s interpretation of the seductive feminine charms of the singing temptresses in “The Sirens,” part of a larger work inspired by scenes of Homer's poem, featuring a female choir. Also, there’s music by Veljo Tormis, his “Curse Upon Iron,” a suggestive symphony for voices, which uses glissandos, shouts, shrieks, and percussive singing together with shaman drum. At the work's climax, the chorus sings about nuclear warheads and plutonium as it imitates the hair-raising sound of an air-raid siren. Rounding out the show is music from the Philip Glass opera, Satyagraha (a Sanskrit word meaning 'truth force'), which deals with Mahatma Gandhi's early years in South Africa and his development of non-violent protest.
From the Vaults: Hans Otte
Friday, August 10, 2007
For this 1996 show From the Vaults, German composer Hans Otte plays excerpts from his best-known work, "The Book of Sounds," on the WNYC piano, and discusses his Zen-like approach to music. We'll also listen to his work "Aquarian Music."
From the Vaults: Annabouboula
Thursday, August 09, 2007
For this trip down memory lane, New Sounds explores the sounds of "Greek blues," or rebetiko, and the American music it inspired, with the NY band Annabouboula. Also, hear traditional Greek blues from Delias, Mihalopoulos, Alexiou, on this show from the Vaults.
From the Vaults: Lou Harrison
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
The late Lou Harrison, one of America's most enduring and original composers, discusses his long career and presents his most recent works, from a 1997 show. This is still another presentation from the New Sounds Vaults.
From the Vaults: Taraf de Haidouks
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
This New Sounds show From the Vaults from 1999, features the renowned Gypsy band Taraf de Haidouks, performing live in the WNYC studio. Plus, music from Hungary with the group Kalyi Jag and music from the original homeland of the Roma people - Rajasthan - with a song from the group Musafir.
From the Vaults: David Darling
Monday, August 06, 2007
The American cellist/composer David Darling presents music from his recordings for the ECM record label and plays live in the WNYC studio for this 1992 From the Vaults show. Hear both electric and acoustic cellos, along with some vocalizing from the CD, not surprisingly called "Cello."
Indian Vocals, Western Music
Sunday, August 05, 2007
For this New Sounds show, there’s music built around Indian vocals, from the pop style known as filmi to the centuries-old devotional and love poems known as ghazal. Listen to works from the forthcoming Kronos Quartet release, You’ve Stolen My Heart. On the record, Kronos reworks some of Bollywood soundtrack composer RD Burman's best-loved tunes, collaborating with Burman’s wife and muse Asha Bhosle for the project, whose voice, even today, has lost none of the sweetness and fluidity that made her a Playback star back in Bollywood’s heyday, in the 1960’s. Also, there’s music from Brooklyn-based vocalist (and percussionist) Paula Jeanine from her American Ghazal project along with songs by the Canadian singer Kiran Ahluwalia, and her sometimes Celtic-seeming backing band. Plus, music from Terry Riley and Najma Akhtar rounds out the show.
Music & Technology
Saturday, August 04, 2007
There are some early instances of electronic and electroacoustic music on this New Sounds program, as we continue to mine the vast motherlode of riches from the early years of New Sounds Live performances. Hear the first farewell performance of "Big Mouth," a work for musical shoes by Linda Fisher, as played by Linda Fisher and Joshua Fried. Imagine men’s shoes, mounted on a stand, and then beaten with drumsticks. When the soles of the shoes are hit, a gate is triggered, which plays a sample - and in the case of "Big Mouth," the samples are of classic cartoons talking crazy talk. Also, listen to Ingram Marshall’s work Hidden Voices, where he uses various tape looping techniques to come up with some the eeriest sounds ever recorded, featuring the soprano voice of Cheryl Bensman-Rowe. Plus, computer music by Neil Rolnick, and his piece called “Balkanization.”
From the Vaults: Joseph Spence Tribute
Friday, August 03, 2007
It's a birthday tribute to Joseph Spence for this New Sounds From the Vaults. The Bahamanian guitarist influenced at least two generations of musicians. We'll hear unusual renditions of his songs by such artists as 3 Mustaphas 3, the Du-Tels, Spence himself, and others.
From the Vaults: Officium Live
Thursday, August 02, 2007
The renowned Hilliard Ensemble and saxophonist Jan Garbarek had a worldwide hit with their recording of medieval works called “Officium.” Tonight on this From the Vaults show from 1994, they introduce excerpts from the CD and perform some additional works in the WNYC studio.
From the Vaults: the Duduk
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
For this New Sounds from the Vaults presentation on New Sounds, we transport you back to 1996 for a show with music for the Armenian oboe-like instrument called the duduk. Hear music by Tony Levin, Djivan Gasparyan, and several bits of traditional Armenian music, along with excerpts from Peter Gabriel's record "Passion." All that and more.
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